Engraver&#39;s automatic rotary press



Aprxl 24, 1962 w. E. sHAcKLETT ENGRAvER's AUTOMATIC ROTARY PRESS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 16, 1960 INVENToR. W1 LMAM EMMErr SuAcKLe-rr ATTORNEYS April 24, 1962 w. E. sHAcKLETT 3,030,883

ENGRAVER'S AUTOMATIC ROTARY PRESS Filed Nov. 16, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 S910 In IN VEN TOR.

' WuuAm Emmen SHACKLETT TToRNEYs April 24, 1962 w. E. SHACKLETT 3,030,883

ENGRAVER'S AUTOMATIC ROTARY PRESS Filed Nov. 16, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. WnLuAM EMMETT SHACKLETT ATTORNEYS 3,@383 Patented Apr. Z4, 1962 ire 3,030,883 ENGRAVERS AUTOMATIC RGTARY PRESS William Emmett Shacklett, New Albany, Ind., assigner of one-fourth each to Irvin F. Fleischer, Dorothy M. Fleischer, Lillian M. Shacklett, and Walter K. Shacklett Filed Nov. 16, 1960, Ser. No. 69,724 2 Claims. (Cl. 101-156) The present invention relates to improvements in engraving presses or relief stamping apparatus.

Present day engraving presses incorporate a flat plate and operate to form the engraving or relief by simultaneously pressing the whole area of the plate against the paper or other material being engraved. For this reason, great forces are required necessitating strong and rigid frame structure and large heavy inertia elements or ilywheels whereby considerable weight and cost is entailed. Such present day presses employ a reciprocating action which is slow in operation and imposes constantly changing stresses on the press. Also, the area of engraving which can be executed is limited because of the great pressure forces required.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide an improved engraving press incorporating a rotary action making possible reduction in weight and cost of the machine for a given area to be engraved.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved engraving press incorporating improved means for wiping the plate or plates thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved engraving press capable of operating upon a roll or spool of paper or other material and of automatically separating the resulting engraved material into sheets of desired length.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an engraving press capable of operating at relatively high speed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lightweight, inexpensive, efcient engraving press.

In accordance with the present invention, one embodiment of the novel engraving press includes a plate having a part-cylindrical engraved surface. The press also incorporates rotary means for carrying the plate and for moving the surface of the plate through the cylinder partly defined by said surface. A rotary make-ready or male counterpart means is provided for the plate and is located to cooperate with the plate, said plate carrying and make-ready means being geared together so that said plate and make-ready always precisely cooperate. There is also provided means for inking the plate, means for drawing engraved material from the plate and means for wiping the plate after it is inked but before it engages said material for the engraving thereof. The engraving press also includes means for cutting the engraving material between repetitions of engraving thereon.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. l is an end elevation of an engraving press constructed according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section of the engraving press taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3 3 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. l in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of a plate and make-ready forming a portion of the structure illustrated in FIG. 2 and showing the plate and make-ready in a slightly different position than is illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail view of a plate wiper mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2 showing the mechanism in a somewhat different position than that illustrated in FIG. 2.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawing and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated `as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated an engraving press including sides or frame elements 10. Obviously in order to reduce the weight and amount of material involved in constructing the present invention, these side elements may be formed with a plurality of apertures at various desired locations or may be replaced by suitably positioned and connected bars, angle irons or the like. A suitable motor 1l is provided and is connected by suitable belting 12 to a pulley 15 Xed to a shaft 16 rotatably mounted upon the frame 10'. The shaft i6 also has iixed thereon a pulley 17 which receives belt 20, the belt 20 also being received by a pulley 21 fixed to shaft 22 which is also rotatably mounted upon the frame 10.

The shaft 22 has iXedly mounted thereon a spur gear 25, the teeth of which mesh with a spur gear 26 keyed to shaft 27 which is rotatably mounted upon the frame 10. The spur gear 26 also meshes with a spur gear 30 keyed to shaft 31 which is rotatably mounted upon the frame 10. The gears 30 and 26 have an equal number of teeth so that each time one of these gears moves through a complete revolution, the other gear also moves through a complete revolution.

The -shafts 31 and 27, respectively, are keyed to a plate carrying device generally indicated at 32 and a makeready carrying device generally indicated at 33. The plate carrying device is provided with lfour engraved plates 3S, each of which has a curved, part-cylindrical outer surface 34 which moves through a cylindrical path upon rotation of the device 32 about the axis of the shaft 31. The plates 35 are xed to the device 32 by means of elongated clamping bars 36 which are fixed in position by clamping screws 37 which project through suitable apertures in the bars 36 into threaded bores 40 in support element 41. The device 32 is provided with four such support elements 41, each of which is fiexed to the distal end of one of four radially projecting -arms 42 forming a part of the device 32.

The make-ready device 33 includes cfour similar radially extending arms 45 having similar support elements 46 secured to the distal ends thereof. Mounted upon the support elements 46 by means of clamping bars 47 and screws 50 are make-ready mounting plates 5&1. The makeready, itself, 52 is constructed in a manner similar to the construction of conventional make-readies with the exception that the make-ready S2 has a part-cylindrical surface similar to the surface of the mounting plate 51 and also similar to and of the same radius as the plate 3S. The make-ready is made up of relatively soft, brous material 55 which is cut o'r trimmed at its edges to a size only slightly greater than the area of the engraving upon the plate 35 ywhereby the velvet consistency of the paper being engraved may be retained. The fiber 55 is covered by a heavy paper cover element 56 which is glued or otherwise suitably attached at 57 to the make-ready mounting plate 5l, this paper cover element preventing cutting of the paper being engraved by the edges of the make-ready.

The four make-readies 52 and the four plates 35 are each located approximately equal distances from the respective axes of shafts 27 and 31 and, as a result of the positive gearing connection of spur gears 30 and 26, always precisely meet one another in exactly the same manner. Thus, in accordance with conventional engraving practice, the make-ready, because of its repeated engagement with the engraving plate, assumes a complementary projecting shape which cooperates with the indentations in the engraving plate to distend or distort paper 60 or other material being engraved.

In the present apparatus, the paper supply 61 is in the form of a roll or a spool although conceivably the apparatus might be used with sheets of paper or with cards. The roll 61 is received upon a shaft 62 rotatably received in mutually facing inclined slots 63 in the frame 10. In order to replenish the paper supply, it is only necessary to slide the shaft 62 out of slots 63 and replace the spent roll 61 with a new roll of paper.

The paper 60 is drawn from the supply 61 by means of a metal cylinder 65 with rubber follower rolls 66 and also by means of the action of the engraving plates and make-readies engaging one another and pulling the paper to the left as viewed in FIG. 2. It should be noted that the cylinder 65 is rotatably mounted upon the frame 10 at one end by means of a shaft 65' and is mounted and driven at the other end thereof in a manner to be described below. I-t can be `appreciated from a study of FIGS. 2 and 5 that the engagement of each plate with its respective make-ready (with the paper 60 therebetween) will always be a line contact or approximately a line contact instead of an area contact as in conventional fiat plate engraving presses. rhus, the motor 11 may be relatively small and no tiywheel is necessary to the device inasmuch as the work thereof is spread out instead of occurring all at one instant.

Work supports 67 and roller 68 are fixed and rotatably mounted, respectively, upon the frame elements 10 and function to support the paper 60 as it moves between the plates and make-readies. The cylinder 65 is driven from the shaft 27 through a rack and spur gear arrangement 70 best illustrated in FIG. 4. Keyed to the shaft 27 is a spur gear 71 which meshes with a spur gear 72 fixed to a shaft 75 rotatably mounted on the frame 10. It should be noted that the spur gear has exactly four times as many teeth as spur gear 72. Thus, each time one of the plates and make-readies come together, the gear 72 will make a complete revolution. A rack 76 is pivoted at one end 77 to a wheel 80 fixed to the shaft 75. It should be noted that the wheel S is provided with a radially extending slot 81 along which the pivotal connection of the rack 76 and wheel 80 may be adjusted in order to change the length of the stroke of the rack.

The rack 76 has its plurality of teeth 82 arranged to engage and mesh with the teeth of a spur gear 85 fixed to a shaft 86 rotatably mounted upon the frame 10. Pivoted upon the shaft S6 is a retainer 87 which receives the rack 76 and maintains it in meshing engagement with the spur gear 85. Operatively connecting the cylinder 65 with the shaft 86 is a conventional slip clutch arranged to transmit rotary motion to the cylinder 65 when the gear 85 is rotating in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 but to transmit no motion to the cylinder 65 when the gear 85 is rotating in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4. In view of the fact that such slip clutches are conventional and commercially available, the structure thereof has not been shown or described herein.

It can be appreciated that each time the shaft 27 moves through a quarter rotation causing one of the plates and its respective make-ready to engage and engrave the paper 60, the wheel 80 will be moved by the gears 71 and 72 through a single complete rotation. During one-half of this rotation of the wheel 80, the rack 76 will act to move the gear in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 causing the cylinder 65 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2 and to pull, along with the rubber followers 66, the paper 60 across the supports 67 and the roller 68 a predetermined distance depending upon the setting of the rack 76 in the slot S1. The machine should be so adjusted that this pulling action of the cylinder 65 occurs when none of the engraving plates is cooperating with its respective makeready to produce an engraving. It should be noted that the rubber follower wheels 66 are fixed to a shaft 90 which is rotatably mounted with respect to the frame 10 and may be received in vertically extending slots so that the follower wheels may freely ride upon the cylinder supported paper 60.

When the wheel 80 is completing its rotation and the rack 76 is acting to move the spur gear 85 in a counterclockwise direction, no movement will be imparted to the cylinder 65. During this period of time, one of the plates will be cooperating with its respective make-ready to produce an engraving and to move the paper leftwardly across the supports 67. It can be appreciated that the area 91 between the supports 67 and the cylinder 65 and wheels 66 will act as an accumulator wherein engraved paper will accumulate prior to being drawn between the cylinder 65 and wheels 66.

The present apparatus also includes a cutting device 92 for cutting the paper 60 between repetitions of engraving thereon. For example, if the machine is being used to engrave letterheads, it may be desired to cut the paper 60 between each engraved letterhead, each of which might be produced by one of the plates 35 and to so cut the paper that the length of a resulting sheet thereof is ll inches. This could be accomplished by adjusting the location of the pivoted end of the rack 76 so that each rotation of the wheel 80 causes the cylinder 65 to move the paper 60 11 inches.

The cutting device includes a cutter blade 95 which cooperates with support 96 to shear the paper. The support 96 is fixed with relation to the frame 10 and the cutter blade 95 is vertically reciprocal between two elongated supports 97 fixed to the frame. The blade 95 is normally retained in an upward position as illustrated in FIG. 2, by means of a suitable spring (not shown); however, the blade 95 may be forced downwardly by a plurality of fingers 100 fixed to a shaft 101 pivoted to the frame 10.

The fingers 100 are pivoted by means of four cams 102 which are equally spaced at 90 degree angles on the gear 26 and are arranged to actuate a lever 105 pivoted at 106 to the frame 10 and having its end 107 pivoted to an elongated rod 110. The rod extends through a lever 1-11 which is fixed to the shaft 101. A pin 112 extends through the rod 110 and prevents movement of the lever 111 past the piu toward the end 107 of the lever 105. A spring 115, received between the lever 111 and a disc 116 fixed to the shaft 110, normally resiliently urges the lever 111 against the pin 112.

It can be appreciated that when one of the cams 102 engages the lever 105, the end 107 of the lever 105 will be moved downwardly as viewed in FIG. 3 and the lever 111 will be pivoted in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3. This action will be cushioned by means of the spring 115 which will also prevent breaking of the apparatus if a strange object projects between the cutting elements 95 and 96. The pivoting of the lever 111 will cause the fingers 100 to push the cutting element 95 downwardly whereby it cooperates with the cutting and supporting element 96 to cut the paper. As above explained, the length of the resulting sheets cut by the device 92 will depend upon the operation of the feed cylinder 65.

A conveyor device includes a conveyor belt 121 received about wheels 12-2 and 1215 secured to shafts 126 and 127.` Theshaft 126 is rotatably mounted upon braces 130 which are ad-justably secured by means of a suitable Wing nut 131 or the like to the frame 10. The shaft 127 is so located that the receiving end of the conveyor is proximate the cutting device 92 whereby as the paper moves between the cutting elements 95 and 96, it will pass on to the conveyor 120. The conveyor is driven by a conveyor motor 130 fixed to the frame 10 and having a pulley 131 secured to its shaft 132, the pulley 131 driving suitable belting 1,35 which in turn drives the pulley 136, shaft 137, pulley 138, belting 140, pulley 141 and the conveyor shaft 127.

The shaft 137 is rotatably mounted upon the frame and has iixed thereto a cylindrical roller 145 which is partially submerged within an ink bath 146 iixed to the frame 10.' Also rotatably mounted on the iframe 10 by means of shaft 147 is a cylindrical roller 150 which rides against the roller 145 and acts to spread out the ink thereon prior to the rotation of that portion of the roller 145 into engagement with plate engaging roller 151. Roller 151 normally rides against the roller 145 whereby an oven, smooth coating of ink is placed upon the roller 151. However, each time one of the plates 35 passes the roller 151, the cam follower 152 drops into a recess 155 and causes the roller 151 to move away from roller 145 and to press against the plate. The length of the recess 155 is determined by the relative positions of cam elements or discs 156 and 157. Thus, in order to change the length of the recesses 155, the cam element 157 is rotated with respect to the cam element 156 by releasing and retightening screw 160 at a diiferent position along the slot 161 in the cam element 157.

The cam follower 152 projects from a lever 162 pivoted to the frame 10 at 163 and having rod 165 pivotally secured to the end 166 thereof. An element 170 having a -bore therethrough is reciprocally received upon therod 165 and is limited in its downward movement as viewed in FIG. 3 by means of a pin 171. A lever 172 is pivoted to the element 170 and is fixed at its other end to a shaft 175 rotatably secured to the iframe 10 yand ixedly carrying lever arm 176 upon which the ink roller 151 is rotatably mounted.

It can be appreciated that because of the fact that there are four of the recesses 155 and because of the fact that these Afour recesses are equally spaced 90y degrees apart, the ink roller 151 will be pivoted into engagement with the plates 35 four times for each rotation of the shaft 31. It should be mentioned that the rod 165 is provided with a `disk 180 fixed thereon and arranged to retain a compression spring 181 between the disk and the element 170. It can be appreciated that this spring 181 will cushion the action of the rod 165 in pivoting the lever 172 and will -also make the pressure of the roller 151 more uniform against the respective plates 35. It can be seen that the amount of each plate that is inked will depend upon the length of the recess 155 and thus if the conventional engraving mark normally appearing on the bottom of an engraved letterhead sheet is not desired to be inked, then such inking need not be accomplished because the roller can be withdrawn from the plate before this engraving mark is inked.

An extremely important portion of the engraving press comprises the wiper device 185 which comprises a supply spool 186 of wiper paper rotatably secured to the frame and a take-up spool 187 rotatably secured to the frame and provided to rewind the wiping paper 190 after it has performed its wiping function. The wiper device further includes a Wiper block 191 having a part-cylindrical lower surface 192 which is concentric with the surfaces 34 of the plates 35. Secured in overlying relation to the curved surface 192 in a muslin element 195 which retains a section of `felt 194 between v v 6 the muslin and the block 191. It should be understood that the section 194, while not necessarily composed of felt, should be composed of a soft, compressible material.

A motor 196, preferably an electric motor, capable of providing a constant pull or tension is mounted on the frame 10 and has its drive shaft connected to the spool 187 whereby a torque is constantly applied tending to wind the paper upon the spool 187. The spool 186 is provided with a brake (not shown) which functions to prevent withdrawal of wiping paper from the spool 186 unless and until a predetermined force is applied to withdraw the paper from the spool. This force is provided by a metering roller 197 which cooperates with roller 200 to feed, at predetermined intervals, the paper across the wiping block or element 191.

The roller 200, which preferably has a rubber outer surface, functions as a follower roller and is rotatably mounted upon the frame 10. The roller 197, which preferably also has a rubber outer sur-face, is driven from the shaft 31 through the spur gear 32 which meshes with a spur gear 201 rotatably secured to the frame 10. It should be noted that the spur gear 32 has four times as many teeth as spur gear 201 and thus rotates once for each `four rotations of gear 201. A connecting rod 202 is pivoted at one end 205 to the gear 201 and is pivoted at its other end 206 to pawl carrier 207 rotatably mounted on shaft 210 which is rotatably mounted on the frame 10.

A pawl 211 is pivoted upon carrier 207 and functions to transmit counterclockwise motion to ratchet wheel 212 xed to the shaft 210` which also has the drive roller 197 fixed thereon. Thus rotation of spur gear 201 causes reciprocation of connecting rod 202 and causes a positive intermittent drive to be transmitted to the drive roller 197. It should be mentioned that 210 indicates an idler roller across which the used wiper paper passes on its way to the take-up spool 187 and 214 indicates a ratchet pivoted to the frame and engaging ratchet wheel 213 iixed to the roller 197 to prevent counterclockwise rotation of roller 197.

The apparatus should be so adjusted that motion is transmitted to the ratchet wheel 212 only when the plates 35 are not engaging the Wiper paper. It can be seen that such adjustment can be easily accomplished because the plate surface 34 occupies substantially less than 45 degrees and the spaces between the plates substantially more than 45 degrees. Thus, the wiper paper will be drawn across the wiper block 191 only when the plates 35 are not engaging the wiper block and will be retained in position by -frictional engagement with the muslin supported by the felt 194 when actual wiping is taking place. By supporting the paper in this fashion and allowing it to remain stationary during wiping, tendency to tear is minimized and cheap relatively weak paper may be used.

From the above description, it can be appreciated that the present invention provides an improved engraving press incorporating a rotary action making possible a reduction in weight and in the cost of the machine for a given area to be engraved. Because of the above mentioned line instead of area contact of the plate with the paper being engraved, the work is spread out instead of being concentrated at one instant. yIt can also be appreciated that the present invention provides an improved engraving press incorporating improved means for wiping the plate or plates thereof.

It can further be seen that the present invention pro- |vides an automatic engraving press capable of starting with a roll of paper and producingtinished engraved letterheads of desired length. It can also be understood that the present invention provides an engraving press which is lightweight, inexpensive and eicient in comparison to present day engraving presses.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the lscope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. An engravers press comprising a plate having a part-cylindrical engraved surface, rotary means carrying said plate, rotary make-ready means for said plate positioned to cooperate with said plate, said means being geared together so that said plate and make-ready always precisely cooperate, means for inking said plate, said inking means being pivotally mounted proximate the path of said plate, cam means on said rotary means arranged to pivot said inking means against said plate as it moves thereby, said cam means including a pair of discs each of which are identical and have a plurality of recesses about their outer periphery, said discs each having a part-circular slot therethrough each coaxial with and equally spaced from the axis of said disc, a bolt through said slots lixing said discs together, said discs being rotatable with respect to one another to vary the length of the composite recesses formed by the recesses of the two cams, means arranged to follow the outer periphery of said cam and to pivot said inking means upon dropping into said composite recesses whereby said cam is adjustable to control the frequency and length of time of contact of said inking means with said plate, means for drawing engraved material yfrom said plate, means for wiping said plate after inking but before engaging said material, and means for cutting said engraved material between repetitions of engraving thereon.

2. An engravers press comprising a plurality of partcylindrical plates, a rotary plate carrying element having a plurality of radially extending arms each of which carries one of said plates, a plurality of part-cylindrical make-readies, a rotary make-ready carrying element having a plurality of radially extending arms each of which carries one of said make-readies, a frame upon which each of said rotary elements is rotatably mounted about parallel axes spaced to cause the path of said plates to be tangent the path of said make-readies, gearing connecting said rotary elements at a direct one to one ratio, means for rotating said rotary elements, means for inking said plates, means for drawing engraved material from said plates, a stationary Wiper block having a part-cylindrical concave surface proximate and concentric the path of said plate, soft compressible material overlyingV the surface of said wiper block, a braked supply reel of wiper paper, means for drawing said wiper paper between said wiper blockv and plate carrying element, said last mentioned means incorporating a metering roller, gearing operatively connecting said rotary elements and said metering roller, said last mentioned gearing including a ratchet and pawl arranged to provide intermittent metered motion to said metering roller, said last mentioned gearing being arranged to transmit no motion when said plates are wiping against said wiper paper, and means for cutting said engraved material between repetitions of engraving thereon.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 359,513 Nullard Mar. 15, 1887 1,055,335 Lathey Mar. 11, 1913 1,071,043 Gihon Aug. 26, 1913 1,576,293 Aitchison Mar. 9, 1926 2,585,617 Battey Feb. 12, 1952 2,659,305 Giori Nov. 17, 1953 

